Malaria continues to be a significant public health concern, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, with nearly 250 million cases and 621,000 fatalities per year. Caused by the parasite Plasmodium, which is transmitted through mosquitoes, malaria poses challenges as it adapts to different organs and cells during its life cycle. Unlike other organisms, Plasmodium lacks sensory organs but relies on protein-based sensors to detect specific molecules in its environment. Researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have now discovered a new sensor in Plasmodium that plays a crucial role in its development and transmission. The findings, published in the journal Science Advances, suggest that manipulating these signals could disrupt the parasite’s life cycle and prevent its replication and transmission.
When a person is bitten by a mosquito carrying Plasmodium, the parasite enters the bloodstream and travels to the liver, where it remains for around 10 days without causing symptoms. Afterward, Plasmodium reenters the bloodstream and infects red blood cells through a synchronized 48-hour multiplication cycle. The destruction of these infected red blood cells leads to the characteristic fever waves associated with malaria. Severe cases of malaria involve the obstruction of blood vessels by infected cells. When a mosquito bites an infected individual, Plasmodium adapts its development program to colonize the mosquito’s intestine. After another round of multiplication, the parasite returns to the mosquito’s salivary glands, ready to infect a new host.
Understanding Plasmodium’s Environmental Perception
From the warm environment of a red blood cell to the depths of a mosquito’s intestine, Plasmodium must accurately perceive changes to adapt its development program. Mathieu Brochet, Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Medicine at UNIGE, highlights the significance of unraveling this mechanism to combat the parasite. The researchers at UNIGE have identified a sensor in Plasmodium that allows it to detect specific molecules found in the mosquito but absent in human blood. This sensor, comprising five proteins, is crucial for Plasmodium to recognize its transition from the bloodstream to the mosquito, as well as its exit from infected red blood cells. Interestingly, the exact human molecules detected by the parasite remain unknown, but uncovering them could provide insights into how fever waves are triggered by Plasmodium.
The protein complex discovered in this study is exclusive to the family of apicomplexan parasites, which includes Plasmodium and Toxoplasma, the cause of toxoplasmosis. By understanding how this sensor functions, scientists could potentially disrupt the signals perceived by Plasmodium at different stages of its life cycle, impeding its multiplication and transmission.
More information:
Ronja Kühnel et al, A Plasmodium membrane receptor platform integrates cues for egress and invasion in blood forms and activation of transmission stages, Science Advances (2023). DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf2161. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adf2161
Citation:
Scientists believe disorienting the malaria parasite may prevent it from causing harm (2023, June 16)
retrieved 16 June 2023
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Shambhu Kumar is a science communicator, making complex scientific topics accessible to all. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
